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ABOUT GLOBAL LENS

The Global Lens film series was launched in 2003 to support the distribution of unique and critically acclaimed cinematic works from around the world. All proceeds from the series support community arts-initiatives, filmmaker grants and education programs…More

FILM INFORMATION

Synopsis This taboo-breaking film is based on Manijeh Hekmat's long fieldwork among women prisoners in Iran. She depicts the lives of Iran's lost generation in the two decades since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, using the claustrophobic life of women behind bars as a metaphor for the entire society. Her protagonist, Mitra, is in prison for killing her violent stepfather. On the eve of a prison riot she confronts Tahereh, the new warden, whose dogmatic views she challenges fearlessly. Over the course of the next 20 years, Tahereh's attitude toward her prisoners changes and softens, which reflects the country's shifting political stance. Eventually, Mitra, aged and exhausted, is finally released, but Tahereh left behind, is now more like a prisoner herself.

About the Director Born in 1962 in Arak, Iran, Manijeh Hekmat is a prolific figure in Iranian cinema. She was initially involved in the film industry as a script girl, and then as an assistant director for 11 feature films. In the last decade, she has produced five notable feature films including the award winning, The Girl in the Sneakers, and, Bunch of Grass, a German production in Iranian Kurdistan. Women’s Prison is Ms. Hekmat’s feature film directorial debut. It is based on her long studies and fieldwork with Iranian, female prisoners.